My MRI (knee) cost me $644 – MRI machine made by “GE”

[SnoopDog]

GE – your military industrial, financial, energy, media, electric, and healthcare megaglomerate. Yes, GE’s nameplate was on the MRI machine.

Explains a lot, doesn’t it? They are into everything.

For sure that is why we have our invisible candidates – Mr. Kucinich and Mr. Edwards. They are the only ones who want to return America back to Americans…what a concept.

Maybe our country should be called United States of GE?

Let see, on the backs of 300 million of US citizens, a small small group of executives control and screw us all over…

And, Americans aren’t doing anything about it…yet…

[Eurobabe]

1. Jesus, you guys need universal healthcare

My shoulder MRI cost me zippo. I live in Germany.

[SnoopDog]

3. I like Mr. Kucinich's term...

Single payer, not for profit healthcare... says it all...

[sandnsea]

7. How does Germany's plan work

Is it premiums, taxes. Does it cover transplants. Prescriptions. Etc.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

13. Germany requires health insurance.

Everyone must pay into a health insurance plan until retirement. I believe that most plans are state-run and some are private. I don't recall what regulations exist regarding who can use public vs. private plans. Basically, they require you to carry health insurance.

[sandnsea]

14. That does't answer anything

Thanks just the same.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

16. OK, let me try again.

Q: Who pays for it?
A: You do, out of your own pocket.

Q: Does it cover transplants, prescriptions, etc?
A: Overall yes, but there are variations between plans. I believe most of the state-run plans cover 90% of the cost of prescriptions.

I believe the state also covers contributions for those who cannot afford it due to unemployment or illness.

[Eurobabe]

17. We pay $40 a year for govt.-backed care

($80 total) out of pocket. I am not sure how much my husband contributes from his paycheck. But the premiums are low, and the employer must pay for part of the coverage - however, we can chose any healthcare provider that we want to go with, not like in the US, your employer cuts a deal with an HMO and you have to take their crap plan.

Prescriptions cost $5 per rx, no matter what drug or quantity. I have no idea regarding transplants, I would have to look into that, but I don't see why they would not be covered?

[sandnsea]

21. Healthcare provider?

What are the differences in them?

I didn't really mean specifically transplants, but whether there were limits on new treatments or a procedure to use the cheapest treatment first, or any kind of cost containment limits.

[Eurobabe]

22. private insurance or government controlled

insurance. Private insurance is a bit more expensive, I don't know all the nitty-gritty details, but the govt. regulated plan is good. AFAIK, the healthcare regiment is pretty progressive. I have a calcium deposit in my shoulder and after 6 mos. of PT that did not work, I had the MRI and my doc recommended arthroscopic surgery. So I don't see any scrimping, if that's what you mean.

[sandnsea]

23. That's helpful

Do you happen to know if there is any assistance for low income workers? Is there any kind of sliding scale or anything?

[Eurobabe]

24. I believe the premiums are income-based

[GOPBasher]

26. Yep, you speak the truth. n/t

[SammyWinstonJack]

39. Please don't rub it in, it's painful enough already. We are screwed and until we kick the

All powerful health care insurance industry out, we won't get any satisfaction or relief. The last thing we need is others who are'nt in our situation, bragging about how good they have in, in their Country. I mean no disrespect, but you are not telling us anything we already don't know and we are trying but...........

[unhappycamper]

2. Well,

We could also be called the United State of Lockeed Martin or

The United States of Boeing or

The United States of BAE or

The United States of ________________ (fill in your favorite corporation's name here)

[SnoopDog]

8. Better yet, United States of Corporations...

[rubberducky]

4. Who was it who said that "you get the health care you can afford"??

That is the bald- faced truth.

[TZ]

5. Ummm

First of all GE has nothing to do with the pricing of MRI's ..
Secondly yes, GE makes things like MRI's and CT scanners along with other medical equipment. They are the best quality ones, from what my medical friends tell me. I assume you would like to have an accurate MRI done? Or perhaps you would like to pay 1,000 for a witch doctor to pronounce you healed...
Thirdly, having had my father work for GE for 30+ years ...I can assure you that GE is far from the corporate tyrant into everything you seem to think.
Do they have a lot of holdings? Yes.
Do they make a lot of good products..Yes. I have had my share of free GE stuff and I have always been happy with it.
But as someone who's Dad has a retirement based on GE stock..I can tell you that GE is NOT the profitable monster you think. In fact a lot of their pensioned employees have suffered with their multiple bad investments..
What people like you forget is that these evil Corporations employee a lot of common, hardworking men and women (including, I may add UNION employees).

[SnoopDog]

11. Here is the finer point...

With GE into everything, their influence will always be to better THEMSELVES not Americans...

[Vinca]

6. How did you get an MRI for under $1,000? That's the big question. nt

[China_cat]

29. That's what I was wondering.

Average around here is $1200.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

9. You should have skipped it.

Screw GE. Wait until EarthFirst! builds an MRI machine.

[Rosemary2205]

10. You damn corporatist!!

If you were really against corporatism you'd have refused to support corporations by having the damn MRI in the first place. :evilgrin:

[tabasco]

12. It cost me $400 to get an x-ray

and have a doctor tell me I had a separated shoulder.

[Drum]

15. MRI is an an expensive diagnostic.

Each of several my trips (knee, shouldersx2, head) through the machine were over $1K each. I doubt that the manufacturer of the machine made a difference. But don't let me rain on your point... :shrug:

[Buzz Clik]

32. Imaging technology has advanced in leaps and bounds over the recent decade or two.

We all benefit from the technology.

[Drum]

37. Absolutely agree.

As a professional dancer (retired now) I appreciate and am grateful for the MRI and all of the diagnostic/surgical innovations and development. Good health care technology and expertise is part what keeps many performers and athletes doing what they do, and better "repairs" to the human body go through further development. We -all- should have affordable access to these procedures, when necessary. My hope is that as more care facilities acquire these technologies, these costs and charges will go down.

edit- I would be willing to look through the Pentagon's budget to identify cuts for exorbitantly-priced weapons, so that more medical care and funding could be available. Most of us are swords-to-plowshares types, aren't we?

[Ravy]

18. My MRI experience.

I had severe back pain after moving to Florida. I was in an HMO and my new doctor ordered an MRI.

I got the name of the place where my HMO would cover my test from my HMO. I got in after a day or so wait, was lying down on the table with my jewelry off and the technician was explaining the procedure to me. I have not had good luck with surgeries in the past (another story for another thread) and I was absolutely scared to death at the prospect of back surgery, but I could barely walk or even drive if my back started to spasm.

Just as the technician was walking away to start my procedure, the receptionist burst in the room, followed by my wife and said to halt everything.

It seems that the place I was at was across the county line (I live in Hernando county, and the MRI location was in Hernando), but my HMO would only cover MRIs if it was done in Pasco county (about a mile to the south of where I was).

So, I did not get an MRI. Luckily, after a couple of weeks at a chiropractor, I was fine again.

Thank goodness my employer now offers a PPO.

[Rosemary2205]

19. You should seriously beat the crap out of your state government

It's their job to put the smackdown on insurance companies that pull that garbage.

[Ravy]

30. This if Florida. Insurance just pulls out of the state or certain counties

based on risk. Insurance is a big deal to the people of Florida, homeowner's insurance is forcing many to move out.

The state sponsers coverage, but it is legislated at a rate *higher* than commercial companies, to not compete with them. If your insurance company pulls out of your county, then you have to find another (most often now, there isn't one) and you are stuck with those rates. My insurance is about 40% of my house payment.

[blondie58]

20. I guess that I should feel lucky then, my co-pay with Pacificare

is only $200. But I do have to get them regularly, as I have a neurological disease and will probably need to have one soon, as I slipped in my driveway on the ice and did something to my arm. Even $200 is a lot for a single mom with the high costs of everything else.

[creeksneakers2]

25. How much of the $644 went to GE? n/t

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

27. I think your charge is primarily for the doctor (radiologist) to interpret the study, not GE.

[aikoaiko]

28. MRIs started off at 1000 a pop, are you thanking them for reduced costs?

:shrug:

[Buzz Clik]

31. Developing and manufacturing an MRI is no small investment.

I'm sure that you'd prefer to have a quality instrument giving you images of your leg rather than some backwater Chinese piece o'crap.

In the US, we have quality health care available to us, but we don't have decent insurance/coverage.

[SnoopDog]

33. Obviously I failed of make my point…

First, with a single payer not for profit health care system, all Americans and myself would not have to spend a fortune for health care.

Second, when corporation’s breath and depth of products and services are so overwhelming, when their wealth purchases votes and legislation, when they include the Constitutional protected media and control the message, the corporations control EVERYTHING.

With my health care example – the media are blatantly, deliberately, and screw you in your face America are ignoring John Edwards, the second place Iowa finisher, and Dennis Kucinich, the champion of single payer health care anti NAFTA pro American candidate.

It’s all about health care folks.
It’s all about getting corporations out of our government, folks.
It’s all about American citizens controlling our government for American’s sake.

Get it?

[Thothmes]

34. Would you prefer

the label on the machine to say "Chan Mfr. Tenshan China"

[nick303]

36. What would be better than a GE-made MRI machine?

A government-made MRI machine? A machine made by the local MRI manufacturing co-op?

[nick303]

35. Self-delete

[lpbk2713]

38. My Doc wanted an MRI made of my shoulder.

The clinic said it would be about $900. My insurance co disapproved it.

They did approve 12 therapy treatments however. That seemed to help.